Car park charge increases

In a statement last week a DRD spokeswomen said the changes were part of the DRD’s comprehensive review of parking charges, and Roads Service was in the process of increasing car park charges in 123 Roads Service car parks across Northern Ireland.

To date Roads Service has applied the increased tariffs in the pay and display car parks affected and from the 15th October the increases will take place in ‘kiosk’ and ‘pay on foot’ car parks.

Similarly to the pay and display car parks, the increases will generally raise the tariffs by 10p per hour.

The following car parks in Londonderry will be affected: Bishop Street 50 pence an hour; William Street 40 pence an hour and Foyle Street 50 pence an hour.

The car park tariff increases will encourage turnover of car parking spaces which will help to improve traffic management and promote the commercial and tourist vitality of our towns.

Legislation for this increase was approved by the Assembly in March 2011 and this has been advertised in the local press.

This set of tariff rises is the first in a number of years, some have not increased in 12 years, and the increases will bring charges closer to private sector car parking prices. This will contribute towards the cost of parking operations.

Roads Service currently manages 132 charged car parks across Northern Ireland; 123 of these car parks are affected by the tariffs increase, six are staying the same, and three will have reduced tariffs.

For further information see http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/off-street-and-on-street-parking.htm .“